“I wake up every day and wonder why I didn’t die.”

Because baby Jocelyn, the youngest of five, was a patient, the whole Scalzo family now sells their farm goods at the weekly market.

Without treatment, younger patients may develop other serious cardiac disorders such as heart failure or life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias.

"You have changed my life," the (now grown up) patient said.

Seven years ago, asking questions was not possible. Ivan, who is nonverbal and nonmobile, had no way to communicate. What he was thinking, feeling or wanting was always a “best guess” for his mom.

He knew he needed complicated surgery, so researching his options, he learned about the Vanderbilt surgical team led by Kamran Idrees, MD, MSCI, MMHC, Ingram Associate Professor of Cancer Research.

Melissia Boynton got the call about 3 a.m. on Mother’s Day that her new heart was available. Immediately, her plans changed from a barbecue around the family pool to a middle-of-the-night drive to Nashville to get her new heart.